Kathryn Winter

I selected this book because it was set in Slovakia – one of the places I will be visiting this year.

KATARINA had so much potential as a book but never quite made it for me as a great story. It was interesting to read about what being Jewish meant, many of the Jewish people who were caught up in the holocaust were not practicing Jews – in fact for some of them the first that they heard of their Jewish ancestry was when they were hauled off to a concentration camp. For many other millions it is a way of life, their faith, their reason for being. Katarina was Jewish only because she had been born to a Jewish mother, she had never followed any of the traditions of the faith and wasn’t even sure what being Jewish meant. She converts to Catholicism as it was real for her; it gave her hope and a focus. She is very young as well, so this added to her confusion of what was happening and why.

KATARINA was a quick read, and is semi-autobiographical – meaning the author put some of her experiences into the book. This is the only book written by Kathryn Winter.

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8-year-old Katarina's life in 1942 Slovakia is almost perfect. Although her parents died when she was very young, she's being raised by an aunt she adores, and who indulges her love for games and stories. She has a best friend to share her secrets with. Katarina doesn't understand when Aunt Lena tells her they must move. Katarina and her aunt are non-observant Jews, and Aunt Lena has shielded Katarina from most of the rumors about what has been happening to Jews in surrounding countries. Since Katarina's aunt hasn't provided any Jewish religious instruction for Katarina, their Catholic maid fills the void, and Katarina considers herself to be Catholic.

As conditions become more dangerous, the family is forced to go into hiding. Eventually Katarina is separated from her family. Her story becomes one of survival as she moves from place to place, and of a journey home at the end of the war. Katarina's resilience keeps her story from becoming too bleak.

This fictional story is based on the author's experience as a Jewish child in Slovakia during World War II. The recommended reading level is grade 6 and higher. Because of a brief description of sexual activity and another incident describing inappropriate touching of a child by an adult, I would not recommend the book for younger readers who read above their grade level. This well-written novel would be good supplemental reading for social studies, and might also be a good book group selection. It should stimulate some interesting discussions.… (meer)